HILLOCKBURN

1941: The lookout was manned 73 days this year. The reporting station was Oak Grove and communications were by Estacada Telephone and Telegraph.​

October 16, 1943: Aircraft Warning Service station Tare 1-4 was inactivated. The site was retained by the Forest Service for fire detection. (Report of Aircraft Warning Service Stations - May 1, 1944)

January 2, 1945: "Secrecy surrounded the finding of a free balloon, thought to be of Japanese origin, in rough, wooded country ten miles southeast of Estacada, as a special army squad and FBI agents recovered the object by felling a tall tree in which it reportedly was lodged, then proceeded to fine-comb the area in which the find was made. A demolition squad of about ten men from Fort Lewis, in command of a lieutenant, arrived from Fort Lewis during the morning, traveling in a squad car and jeeps. The soldiers, assisted by federal operatives, worked during the day and three miles from the Hillockburn ranger station. The spot could be reached only by hiking a quarter of a mile north after leaving the Hillockburn road, a Clackamas county route from the Dodge district to the Hillockburn lookout. After being freed from its perch in the tree, the balloon was brought to the road and was packed in the army squad car under armed guard, and newspapermen were not allowed to inspect or photograph it. A reporter for The Oregonian learned that the object bore no markings. Those placed in charge at the scene would not disclose the texture or size of the balloon, and State Policeman Oral Hunt, who was the first to report the object Sunday to the FBI, would not talk about the matter." (The Oregonian)